ReviewThe second album from the seminal Scottish group Beggars Opera is probably their best, as Waters of Change shows a significant maturation in the songwriting department, and for the most part eschews the classical rock, over-the-top organ bombast of Act One. Rather, the album is more restrained and melodic, though falling shy of the nondescript "pop music with mellotron" of some of their contemporaries. The album balances complexity and instrumental flair with solid songwriting and addictive melodies, as Alan Park's obviously virtuosic organ playing and Gardiner's fleet fingered, surreal guitar subsume themselves to the greater goal of the song, as it should be.

Although often thought of as a "mellotron album", the instrument is not nearly as dominant as I'd expected, and is ultimately outgunned by the main melodic device, the organ. Still, the 'tron contributes mightily to the album's warm, earthy air. Another highly appealing aspect of the band's work here are Martin Griffiths' vocals. Now, I'm a sucker for eccentric vocalists, and this guy definitely kills me. His powerful, some might say over the top, pipes really carry the main themes perfectly in my opinion. The melodies are pretty much universally addictive and enjoyable throughout, from the semi-melancholy "Time Machine" to the humorous faux medieval jig of "Festival" to the grandiosity of "Silver Peacock". Indeed, for a song based, light hearted and melodic early progressive rock album, one would be hard pressed to come up with a better example than Waters of Change. Everything the band set out to do they seem to have achieved with startling success. Warm and endearing to the last, this is one of the finest albums from this particular era and sub genre.

Badger were one of those seventies bands that are barely remembered outside the circle of hard-core Yes fans. Only in existence for a couple of years, they managed to produce two albums, White Lady, the 1974 studio album which was a fairly mellow, soul-influenced affair featuring ex-Apple Records artist Jackie Lomax, and the altogether more interesting progressive rock debut One Live Badger. Formed in mid 1972, the roots of the band stretch back a few years earlier when Tony Kaye linked up with David Foster who was getting material together for a prospective solo album. Foster, a former band mate of Jon Anderson in The Warriors, was first introduced to the Yes camp when he co-wrote Sweet Dreams and Time And A Word with the vocalist with for the band's second album. Although the solo album was eventually scrapped, Foster and Kaye kept in touch and following Kaye's departure from Yes and brief involvement with Flash, set about remixing and reworking the original material.

Deciding to form a band to play and record the songs, drummer Roy Dyke was recruited from the recently disbanded Ashton, Gardener and Dyke who recommended that guitarist Brian Parrish, who had recorded a largely ignored album with Adrian Gurvitz, should complete the line-up. After intensive rehearsals, the band made their debut at "The Rainbow Theatre" in December 1972 supporting Yes at the infamous concerts that spawned the sprawling Yessongs live album. Atlantic Records, to whom both groups were signed, decided that as the equipment was in place they should make the most of their financial outlay and record the support group's set as well. In a bold move that seems rather extraordinary by today's standards, it was these recordings that formed the basis of One Live Badger.

And what a great album it is, the material is strong and the group sound as if they have been playing and writing together for years. The production, by the group, Jon Anderson and Geoffrey Haslam, is crisp although somewhat more raw and aggressive than the resulting Yes recordings from the same concerts. As expected, Kaye's signature Hammond organ sound is to the fore on most of the tracks (and in particular on the album closer On The Way Home), although he does use other keyboards to add different textures: the chorus of Wind of Change features the mellotron, The River utilises an electric piano to great effect and a Moog synthesiser is evident on other tracks. Guitarist Brian Parrish plays some great solos, although nothing too flash (excuse the pun!) or overburdened with technical virtuosity. The solid and efficient rhythm section are quite prominent in the mix, as one would expect from a live recording, Foster's bass in particular being particularly clear - the dynamic mix of driving bass, riffing guitar and wailing Hammond during On The Way Home is superb and probably something that could only be got away with on a live recording. The closest comparison would be akin to a rockier Traffic.

Overall, a wonderful live album and worthy of inclusion in the collection of any fan of 1970s rock music, not just those drawn by the Yes connections. My only complaints are with the quality of the packaging. Roger Dean's cover artwork is poorly reproduced (the band name and album title are hard to see in detail), the booklet (four sides with only the front and rear artwork in colour) contains no extra information aside from the original sleeve notes and just reproduces the four colour photographs from the tray inlay in black and white. There are probably no bonus live recordings that could have been added to the album, 40 minutes would no doubt have been the length of the support act's set, and the inclusion of any existing rehearsal or demo cuts would have been incongruous, but one does feel that the addition of a few extra photos, a potted history of the band and even some reminiscences from the group members themselves would have helped justified what is effectively a full-price release. Still, it is the music that matters and on that score you can't complain at all.

Tracklist:

1. Wheel of fortune (7:04) 2. Fountain (7:12) 3. Wind of change (7:00) 4. River (7:00) 5. The preacher (3:35) 6. On the way home (7:10)

Spanish monster is Atila's final album, which became the peak of their achievement with four ambitious ( and mostly instrumental ) tracks. Serious progressive rock without pomp and painful cliches, maintaining the energy of rock music in inspired solo excursions, mainly by electric guitar, a sought after collector's item.Very hard to find.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Review originally published in Gnosis on February 9, 2001. Edited on August 28, 2007.The Catalonian group Atila released three diverse albums in the mid to late 70's. Starting primarily as a raw hard rock psych group, Atila evolved into one of the finest instrumental progressive space rock acts around. They are one of the few 70's Spanish bands to not include a strong indigenous element to their sound.

After two albums, the band delivered their coup de grace, "Reviure". Promoted to the top commercial label of its day, EMI/Odeon, Atila produced another primarily all instrumental album. Now the hard rock/psych edges of their previous album "Intencion" have been replaced by a smoother cosmic edge. The organ tossed completely for the moog and the biting fuzz guitar for a more spacey one. The complex progressive moves are still here, but now the focus is on long synthesizer drones and atmospheric spacey guitar. The four long tracks on display here are each marked by their superb composition style, changes of tone and mood, and subtle energy. Sounding unlike any other album from Spain, Reviure is a must listen for the fan of Continental European progressive music.

Something of a supergroup, Kim Gardner had been in The Birds and Creation prior to joining this band and Tony Ashton and Ron Dyke had been in The Remo Four. Their debut album lacked a certain amount of verve but was liberally laced with R&B influenced compositions and they scored an unexpected hit with the goodtime rock 'n' blues song Resurrection Shuffle in 1971.

Tracklist:

01 Rolling Home 3:31 02 Why Did You Go? 2:59 03 The Falling Song 3:31 04 Young Man 4:04 05 Billy and His Piano Without Ashton 4:00 06 Maiden Voyage 3:56 07 New York Mining Disaster 1941 5:03 08 Picture Sliding Down the Wall 4:40 09 Billy and His Piano With Ashton 3:49 10 Vaggsang 1:38 11 As It Was in the First Place 6:30 12 Maiden Voyage [bonus] 5:23 13 See the Sun in My Eyes [bonus] 3:26 14 Resurrection Shuffle [bonus] 3:17 15 Can You Get It [bonus] 3:32

This was the first album released on Decca's progressive Nova label. Co-produced by Peter Sherter and Ian Sippin, much of the album bares an uncanny resemblance to early Spooky Tooth. Propelled by Bailey's hoarse vocal growl and the band's penchant for screaming guitars, this comparison is reinforced on tracks such as Going Home, Take These Chains and Out Of Us Two. Elsewhere Bailey sounds like Joe Cocker on Practically Never Happens, while Bob Weston's Slightly Country sounds like it was stolen from the early Steve Winwood and Traffic catalogue. With the exception of the pedestrian blues number Backlash Blues the album, but including the extended Darkness, is worth hearing.

We're shallow enough to admit the weird cover is what initially attracted our attention to this obscure LP ... there was just something odd about seeing four "hip" looking guys standing in a wheat field in front of an ancient windmill ... wonder if the recorded the album in Holland ? Are there windmills in England?

First off, we'll tell you numerous critics have slagged the album as being ordinary and unimaginative. We'll take issue with them and tell you it's actually an overlooked minor classic. Featuring the talents of singer Steve Bailey, bassist Ron Bending, drummer Terry Sims and guitarist Bob Weston, Ashkan made their recording debut with 1969's "In from the Cold". In the UK the set was the first released by Decca's newly established progressive-oriented Neon label. In the States it saw a release on London's Sire subsidiary. Co-produced by Peter Sherter and Ian Sippin, to our ears much of the album bares an uncanny resemblance to early Spooky Tooth. Propelled by Bailey's hoarse growl and the band's penchant for screaming guitars, the comparison was reinforced on tracks such as "Going Home", "Take These Chains" and "Out of Us Two". Elsewhere Bailey's growl sounded like Joe Cocker on "Practically Never Happens", while Bob Weston's "Slightly Country" sounded like it was stolen from the early Steve Winwood and Traffic catalog. With the exception of the pedestrian blues number "Backlash Blues" the entire album including the extended "Darkness" was worth hearing. Besides, had Gary Wright and Spooky Tooth released something this good, it would have been a massive success ...

Tracklist:

1. Going Home 6:542. Take These Chains 4:283. Stop (Wait And Listen) 5:544. Backlash Blues 7:465. Practially Never Happens 6:016. One Of Us Two 5:477. Slightly Country 2:578. Darkness 12:11

Art Boys Collection are not a progressive rock band. There is a moment or two of progressive rock-ness, however, and this is mainly in the organ of Walter Holz. However, that progness is limited to a couple of tracks, and even then it's hard to make a strong case for this as fact. I will say that a vague reference to King Crimson's "In The Court Of The Crimson King" can be made with "Stoned Wall," a very faint hint of Keith Emerson in "Flying Machine," and maybe some of the psychedelic touches of the bonus tracks would qualify as a proto-prog prog. But for the most part, what you have here a fairly standard and imitative early 70s 50s- and 60s- influenced pop rock.

Admittedly, the Art Boys Collection didn't bill themselves as a progressive rock band, as they were a beat band, a style that has been mentioned more than once in connection with the early days of very famous British quartet. That is to say, The Beatles. The influence here draws not only on the band as a band, but the members of the band after the split in 1971. "Roll Engine Roll" is, but for the chorus, much like Ringo Starr's "It Don't Come Easy," (which, interestingly enough, came out 1973; Stoned Wall was released in 1972). "Wait For The Days" hints at bit a George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" in the rhythm of the acoustic guitar, though otherwise this song is very psychedelic. Here as on the "Roll Engine Roll," vocalist Hans Joachim Holz also sounds like Starr. The upbeat rocker "Happy Woman" has the distorted guitar sound that Harrison adopted for 1965's Rubber Soul -- there are many references but "Drive My Car" is what jumped to mind. "Station Nowhere" is a mellow, dreamy, psychedelic, McCartney-esque piece.

Divergent from this ex-Beatles fest is "All My Life," a chirpy 60s pop ditty as catchy as any of the more widely known artists of the period. The Kinks come to mind with "I'm Riding On An Arrow," a darker toned guitar based piece, with a psychedelically echoey chorus. "In A Foreign Country" is straight out of the 50s-era (I thought of "Silhouettes" by The Crests), and the Mama's And Papa's like "Jesus Said." The bonus track "Lemon Tree" takes this and the Byrd's and the folky based rock of the 60s wrapped into one. In fact, early Bee Gees come to mind, too. Chuck Berry should come to mind with "United Blues Generation" via the Beatles, and we know that Beatles admired the 50s rock of Berry. Actually, this piece sounds like the Mama's and Papas performing a signature Berry tune as if they were the Beatles.

An interesting curiosity, well preserved by GoD as this was taken from a well-kept vinyl version and declicked using the Ceder NoNoise system – which I'm not contractually obligated to mention (and there's no contract anyway), but should since the sound quality is very good, and the source sounds true for the times. But, it's a fairly average, well played bit of nostaligic rock – they reference well.

Debut progressive jazz rock album from Italy released in 1973. Area were one of the most important Italian groups and their uncompromising style combines Greek and Turkish music with Soft Machine and flashes of Gong, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Magma and Egg. The insane vocal acrobatics of Greek borne Demetrio Stratos are totally unique.. - Album Description

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are entering the "almost" non plus ultra of progressive music, whatever subgenre you want to addres to this 70's italian band. Ok, I must admit I"m italian and so I may sound not too objective to review this album, but as a matter of fact whoever will listen to this album will be amazed and left speechless. For those who are a bit familiar with the political and social situation in Italy during the 70's, it will be quite easy to recognize the incredible political background in the lyrics of "Arbeit Macht Frei", ironic title taken from the well known Nazi motif, "the work makes you free". And this is one of the unique peculiarities of Area, the ability to match the sperimentalization of complicated music with very intense and profund lyrics. In fact, Demetrio Stratos was first of all an all-around artist, a sperimentalist of the voice, as you could appreciate in his solo album "Cantare La Voce". And behind him but not least, a group of musicians who will undoubtedly influence many generations. What is phenomenal is the rhytmic section, in which we can hear the bass lines modelled along a sometimes walking bass-like pattern and some other times more funky and "groovy", if you let me this adjective. My favourite song is Luglio, Agosto Settembre (Nero), a music manifesto of what my country was on those years, seen thorugh the eyes of these 5 superb and crystally innovative musicians; yet, it's just a question of emotional impact, because the rest of the album must be present in your discography, as well as The Dark Side Of The Moon or In the Court of the Crimson King or Foxtrot, and I'm not joking, as you will experience after listening to it......From the first Arab prayer words to the the last note , everything in this album spells classic! It certainly is a very influential album not only for Italian groups ( bands such as Deus Ex machina owe a lot to Area) but also for RIO. Although Area is one of the prominent group thought of when RIO is mentioned , this album is not yet in that style but more to do with Canterbury style music.Led by Grek-born Stratos, Area were very left wing politics and the title of this album is a denonciation of the Nazi slogan (translates into "work sets you free") written on the gate of the extermination camps! This title track is absolutely stunning veering often in Free style improv at the start before settling in its jazz-rock groove. All tiltes are strong but the real highlight IMHO is the closer Abbatimento dello Zeppelin. A lot of the ambiances will remind you of Canterbury classic bands but none exactly pin-pointed. Just one hint, some of the more inventful moments will remind you of Soft Machine but more in the Hugh Hoppe- mode tunes than in the Ratledge-Jenkins mode.Very much a classic and highly influential! - AREA Arbeit Macht Frei reviews@ProgArchives.com

Area is one of the best-known Italian prog-rock bands and perhaps the lead group in Italy during the Seventies...As opposed to other famous Italian prog bands, Area hasn't had any influence by the English bands of that period, but I think in some cases their music is more similar to Return To Forever and sometimes is very hard to listen to... - PROGRESSIVEWORLD.NET

One of the most unique bands ever. Riveting ultra-high energy schizophrenic jazz-rock fronted by the operatic vocals of Demitrios Stratos. The band's Instrumentation was guitar, bass, drums and keys with trombone, bass clarinet and flute. There are five albums I know of: Arbeit Macht Frei, Caution Radiation Area, Crac!, Areazione, and Maledetti.... Probably not recommended for the Marillion/Alan Parsons crowd......One of the really interesting bands from the '70s. Briefly: They sound like a mix of Balkan music, Weather Report, Cecil Taylor and King Crimson. Technically they are on the same level. Their records are as different as King Crimson's, so do not give up if you dont like the first one you hear. The singer, Demetrio Stratos (unfortunately dead now), has a powerful, overwelming voice. He experiments with all the sound possibilities of a voice, and also with more than one tone at the time......An inventive Italian jazz rock fusion band. Their first 4 albums are classics of inventive Italian jazz rock fusion featuring the stupendous vocalist Demetrio Stratos who may have been one of the most unique singers in history. Stratos unfortunately passed away so many years ago... - New Gibraltar Encyclopedia Of Progressive Rock

Area's formula on their early material: glass-breaking operatic lead tenor belting didactic Italian lyrics of Marx-ian determinism over furious jazz fusion with Arabesque tinges...This is how such "PROGRESSIVE JAZZ" should have to be, while as usual the performance regarding the vocalist of the best vocalists, Demetrio Stratos ,is always unforgettable...highly recommended!!. - Reviews and Ratings for Arbeit Macht Frei -- Area [ITL] -- Rate Your Music

Listening today to ARBEIT MACHT FREI by AREA, issued in the new historic year 1973, it is more a dive into the living, breathing present rather than to dip into the past.Obviously, this does not necessarily signify a defense of the Nineties, mediocre and formless they are, contrasting with the far more complex and startling Seventies.On the contrary, it simply aims to state that not a single one of the component sections of this record sounds dated and/ or nostalgic.Firstly, THE SLEEVE: visibly Dadaist on the outside with its key-shaped puppet and a large Yale padlock, inside is a visionary photo-spread, extremely relevant today: the five AREA members are posed alongside each other between the "logo" from the Nazi concentration camps (work is freedom) and a Palestinian "kefiah" wrapped around the head of Giulio Capiozzo, between the Communist hammer and sickle and the figure of a flying angel, typical Christian emblem.Then THE MUSIC: admirable in its ability to appear as an indivisible UNICUM, a profound mixture of "composition" and "improvisation",first and great example in Italy of WORLD MUSIC blending the best in rock and jazz with a touch of "Mediterranean folk music"and some extremely advanced para-Cagean contemporary styles.AREA wished to credit themselves from the outset in the eyes of their public is fully legitimate:INTERNATIONAL POPULAR GROUP.As if to say that the "moods" of making music would have nothing to do with any remnant of nationalist feeling, any refuge of parrochial attitudes.And finally THE INTERPRETATION: AREA can't leave the extra-voice of DEMETRIO STRATOS apart, showing, here at once, all his phonic equilibria.During those years (and still nowadays), many people found his voice excessively virtuoso bearing no resemblance to the pedantic style that has always made the fortune of every "pop singer" worthy of the name.Let us repeat: they totally ignored an incontestable fact: without Demetrio's contribution, the "pop vox" would still be rooted, at least in Italy, in the classical modulations of the singer-songwriter.In reality, listening again after so many years to A.M.F., I can safely assert that I very much miss the unique quality of Stratos' voice. In the same way, as I miss his artist's honesty, the pureness of his work, the solitude of his personal way never coming to compromises with the "establishment".Thanks to him we have discovered the real meaning of pop music: not only good vibrations or feeling groovy, it also consists of seeking for one's own "IN SE" and of deliberate perception of contradiction.(Cfr.Roberto GATTI)

1. End Of The World 3:162. Don't Try To Catch A River 3:413. Mister Thomas 2:534. Rain & Tears 3:175. The Grass Is No Green 6:036. Valley Of Sadness 3:157. You Always Stand In My Way 3:588. The Shepherd & The Moon 3:069. Day Of The Fool 5:5310. Plastics Nevermore 2:3411. The Other People 3:1012. Quando L'Amore Diventa Poesia 2:4213. Lontano Dagli Occhi 3:4414. I Want To Live 3:5315. Magic Mirror 2:55

Ignore anything the name Vangelis may mean to you (or even Demis Roussos if you're familiar with his later work); this album is really something unique and special. It's difficult to believe that the band had nothing more than "sahlep" (kinda like tea or coffee) to fuel this wild creativity, but I imagine the entire world was getting a contact high in the late 60s. "666" is a sonic riot of 60s rock styles spiced with Greek influences, extended noise and tone poems, vocal narration and snippets. The concept is quite unique; a circus stages a production of the Apocalypse of St. John not knowing the actual Apocalypse is occurring outside the tent. The audience believes everything to be a part of the show until the real and the theatrical collide.

We start with an opening crowd chant, the Abbie Hoffman-inspired "The System", and the exuberant acid rock song "Babylon". "Loud, Loud, Loud" swaps the carnival barker's biblical narration for that of a diplomat's child, over a soft piano and choral backing. "The Four Horsemen" deepens the biblical narrative with some eerie, atmospheric verses and a memorable psychedelic refrain that becomes the backing for some tasty guitar soloing at the end. "The Lamb" demonstates a clear proto-progressive improvisational structure, upon which the Greek influence emerges- a trend that increases for the instrumentation that accompanies the narrative of "The Seventh Seal". "Aegian Sea" is a more FLOYD-ian mellow jam, with additional muffled voiceover. "Seven Bowls" is a disturbing chant (one could say, a Greek Chorus) that trails off into the atmospheric noises of "The Wakening Beast". The quiet muezzin sound of "Lament" explodes into the mediterranean fanfare of "The Marching Beast", which suggests avant-garde classical influence. "Battle of the Locusts" returns us to rock and segues into the contagiously pounding Jerry Rubin-inspired jam, "Do It" (I would have loved an extended version of this). We're exposed to more avant-garde sounds on the brass-textured "Tribulation" before getting funky with the suprisingly Zappa-esque "The Beast". Finally, "Ofis" quotes a popular Greek drama to close out the first disc.

The second disc opens aptly with "Seven Trumpets", returning us to both the circus and the bible. "Altamont" brings some uncanny prescience- could they have had some glimpse of the all-too-real Apocalypse that the Stones would encounter there a year later? Nevertheless, it's a rolling, dense rock jam with a very interesting voiceover. "The Wedding of the Lamb" combines "Ummagumma"-era FLOYDian atmospherics with Greek flavors over pounding tribal percussion, and "The Capture of the Beast" increases tension with glassy percussion and unnerving synth effects. "Infinity" is a ritual orgasm, which caused much contoversy; originally 39 minutes long, it had to be truncated before the record company would even consider releasing the album (to continue the "Ummagumma" comparison, this is their "Several Species of Small Furry Animals..."). "Hic Et Nunc" brings us back to the rock with a catchy, dramatic "Jesus Christ Superstar" flavor. The exotic acid rock improvisation on "All the Seats Were Occupied" slowly builds to a climax, chaotically combining elements of the preceding songs (much the same way as PINK FLOYD did later in the "Atom Heart Mother Suite") to illustrate the armageddon conflict. It goes on a bit too long for comfort (I would have trimmed this piece and added some length to the "Locusts/ Do It" passages, but nobody asked me) but it does succeed in giving you a vivid impression of the end of the world, especially at the crashing, moaning finale. "Break" brings you back from the depths with some homey piano, bluesy fuzz guitar, and simple lyrics.

Anyone with any interest in the psychedelic era progenitors of progressive rock must give this album a try; fans of the COMUS sound and attitude should be able to take to this with little difficulty. It is a bit long, and requires some dedication to listen from start to finish-it's as hard to imagine the full 4-disc album that was originally planned as the patently impossible script Salvador Dali penned for the premiere. The playing is generally competant rather than spectacular, and the more familiar rock sections are less frequent than the forays into experimental sounds. The transitions are well done, however, and the sense of humor and exuberance, as well as the Greek influence, distinguishes the music from the typical noisy freak-outs of the era. "666" is simultaneously disturbing and funny, spacey and primitive, retro and timeless, sacred and profane- and much less pretentious sounding than you'd guess. I'm a little shaky about giving it the full five stars, as a fair number of people are likely to be turned off by the 'controversial' element and hippie-era sound, but this is a unique and impressive landmark in the birth of progressive rock, and should be heard at least once by anyone seriously interested in the genre. Progarchives.com

Review: Ambrosia's debut album is simply brilliant. I don't know how much influence Alan Parsons actually had on the production, but I can certainly hear a similarity in "feel" (albeit a loose one) between this album and Tales of Mystery and Imagination, the debut album from the Alan Parsons Project which was recorded in August of the same year. Indeed, all four members of Ambrosia played on that album.

This is "pop" music, to be sure, but it's good pop. The music is not bland or ordinary; there are not only wonderful harmonies in the vocals, but some nice guitar and keyboard work as well. There are fun songs and poignant songs, but the former don't get silly and the latter don't get sappy. And only two could be considered on the traditional pop theme of love.

Not only is it musically interesting, but the lyrics are will worth listening to, definitely a cut above the typical pop love song. Where else would you find Kurt Vonnegut given co-writer status (The lyrics for "Nice, Nice, Very Nice" are from the 53rd Calypso of Bokonon from his novel Cat's Cradle), and another song containing a reading of Jabberwock (from Alice in Wonderland)?

Review: ALQUIN were an innovative Dutch band who released four studio albums during the early to mid-70's, their first two being of particular interest to progsters. With a mixture of rock, jazz and classical music, they show elements of SOFT MACHINE, CARAVAN, PINK FLOYD, CURVED AIR with tinges of ROXY MUSIC. "Marks" (1972), their first release, is mostly instrumental with a highly jazzy feel. Quite versatile, it features snippets of calypso, circus music, Dixieland and (of all things!) country music. Their best progressive effort, however, is their second album "Mountain Queen" (1973) which features long instrumental passages with prominent lead guitar, whirling Hammond organ, dual saxophones, electric violin and catchy choruses in a slightly Canterbury style.

"Set up in 1969 this Dutch/ German group toured with The Pretty Things, Ekseption, Neu, Wind, Jane etc. This album was recorded in 1972 and covers all bases! It has mellow prog jazz touches like Soft Machine, Caravan etc. blended with lengthy instrumental acidic jams featuring sax, flute driving percussion as well as effect laden mayhem and some biting wah wah fuzz guitar that is reminiscent of Faust ! . Experimental stuff. Highly rated by the writers of Crack In the Cosmic Egg."

1. A Dream Within A Dream 4:142. The Raven 3:573. The Tell -Tale Heart 4:384. The Cask Of Amontillado 4:335. (The System Of) Doctor Tarr And Professor Fether 4:206. The Fall Of The House Of Usher - I. Prelude 7:027. The Fall Of The House Of Usher - II. Arrival 2:398. The Fall Of The House Of Usher - III. Intermezzo 1:009. The Fall Of The House Of Usher - IV. Pavane 4:3610. The Fall Of The House Of Usher - V. Fall 0:5111. To One In Paradise 4:46

"What would you expect from a band called "Nekropolis"? With a very eloquent cover art describing the final ending and the disappearance of humanity throw creepy bones of dead bodies, you can imagine that the sound is everything dark, resonant, cavernous, haunting and ghostly. This infernal electronic manifest is a musical intrusion throw pain and agony, scary but so sublime in term of intensity and expression...the two first compositions are written for (very gloomy) double bass lines, menacing electronic effects and drum attacks. This marvellous, creepy and moody album by Peter Frohmader is one of the strangest things I've heard in popular music. Surely his most experimental if we remember the much more conventional "ambient" efforts of his last productions. "Unendliche Qual" is a hyper cavernous track, always with massive doom bass lines, agonised "almost heaven choir" ambient sounds and hammering drum parts. A proof that we can make a pretty dark and ass kicking album only with tremendous atmospheres. My favourite tracks on this one are the almost jazzy macabre "Mitternachtsmesse II" and the floating, repetitive and spacey like "Mitternachtsmesse I". A supreme and unique contribution, featuring discreet weird kraut experimentations." (Philippe, progarchives.com)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Starting off with the same idea another reviewer of this album used to express the strangest and most influential feelings this music has installed for any one bestowing to listen to it, I'll say that, indeed, a cover so horrific and unpleasant plus an entire concrete set of cryptic and sharp names for each composition (though certainly, in both cases, this is not the most creepy "view" in musical concept ever), in such a linguine and freely expressed way, lead to the music of this classic debut by Peter Frohmader to be of that particular novelty nuance, one impregnated very deep, sardonic and dementia, alluding much of the heartless and "dunkelheit" operatic music impressions. The best such artists usually express it as a meaning of life (and of death), plus an expression of authentic blossom and powerful industry. It is a habit of eloquent diversity and stunning receptiveness, true, if you comprise well the flawless orientation of a music that burns and shrivels you inside, nonconformist and nondeterministic.

As powerful, indecisive and macabre as this experiment will sound, it also reflects, however, not a flagellation of music and emotions, but a deep trance of systematic experimentalism and over-mechanized techniques, having in mind a blow of proportions, by which music to stun, some kind of visual transmissions (like lugubrous sounds leading to cryptic images, or so) to be achieved, plus a good rhythm of artistic provocation to be fulfilled, since the entire composition leaves little time for sensibility. In conclusion, you could do an entire monologue and fearful description towards Music Aus Dem Schattenreich, calling it the music of totems, the emblem of devilish concepts and the radical substance of inconsequential dark and formidable punching character - but the album is also a very good and connecting study of electronic devices and sound-fractions, space-fears and reverted environmentalism, under envious qualities of rock, electronic tension, sound and ambient, noise and acid culture, dark and deep breaks of flairs - a very impressive study as well.

Peter Frohmader cuts off from his projects of cold counter-fashion composition, cubism rock, unshapely jazz or rock vibrations (though the 70s full work could be a collector's avid pleasure as much as collecting the sessions of Nekropolis and collaborating compositions, within the official register, turns out to be) and comprises a sum of art, weird ethic and stabilized avant-torrential influences within mechanics and comforts of electronic, synthetic and psych-epileptic improvisations. The strength of the Nekropolis projects is equal to the strength of collaborations with big artists like Pinhas or Artemiev and to the strength of Frohmader playing solo. So is the balance between him being an electronist, a sound-machinist, an avant-garde sketcher or a personality of diffuse rock. Such a debut like Music Aus Dem Schattenreich becomes suggestive to a lot of Frohmader's visions and introverted terrific dreams of music, sharing only a unique strong message of its own, mostly condensed between music and the liable impression.

With a low-extended instrumentality, but a perfect eclectic precision, Frohmader makes out of this album a heart beating (expected to have said flesh-ripping?) caliber and a paradox of minimal music sounding so massive. The Nekropolis project, associated a lot with this kind of impact art, seeks out the same kind of illusion, under different, more powerful or more forgotten essential musical gestures. Outside the atmosphere of Nekropolis and of Frohmader's sting art, you can't find a conclusive association with the grandest and most known contemporary styles of electronic. It is even a thought of beatitude that, in the beginning of the 80s, when pressure made a lot of electronic art collapse or become the expression of harmony, Peter Frohmader comes, heartless as it is, with a music of fear, complex language and powerful exploration. In a weaker eulogy, these early experiments, this one included, fully reflect a personal and conceptual force of expression and clatter, within a chosen dark, deep, frantic and exhausting modality.

Music Aus Dem Schattenreich is an hour long impressive album, with lots of suggestive strange and hollow sound-movements. Going just one more time back to the cover and the concept of "hecatomb music", the music might be a suggestion for some visual art or some cuts of music, though nothing is specific - many Nekropolis experiments, including Nekropolis 2, are actually "soundtrack" compositions. Inside its shell, the album becomes an electronic furnace of instrumentality and arranged technique, with a spiritual aggression that mostly chills you down hard enough as to experience this powerful and incisive music. Frohmader, through 12 pieces, tries combinations of noises and sounds (no mechanical particular achievement), new ambiances and sorrow/minor harmonies, a background or a frontal experiment of electronic tonalities, plus some spacey, rhythm-rocked, shock-sequential or synth-minimalistic pasts of effective and well-sustained calibers. The general (and critical) style is, therefore, cold electronic music, spontaneous rock or avant-garde, wall-sound environmentalism and cosmic-fracture.

Progarchives: Early 70's krautrock band from Berlin, Hanuman was formed by Peter Barth (flute, sax, vocals), Jörg Hahnfeld (bass), Thomas Holm (drums) and Wolf-Rüdiger Uhlig (organ, piano, vocals). In 1972 the band will change the name to Lied des Teufels. Rüdiger Uhlig will join the legendary heavy progressive rock band Murphy Blend. The band released an unique album in 1971, largely made of extravagant, colourful, tastefull hybrid rockin' compositions with discreet influences from Van Der Graaf Generator.

The Crack In The Cosmic Egg: Berlin band formed by Murphy Blend organist Wolf-Rüdiger Uhlig in May 1971 at a festival in Munich, along with a trio of jazz and blues musicians. Hanuman took the Murphy Blend sound, sans the classical style, hinting at Out Of Focus, but more lyrical and offbeat. The odd German vocals can be off-putting to non-Germans! Without Uhlig, Hanuman transmuted into Lied Des Teufels. Wolf-Rüdiger Uhlig (organ, piano, vocals), Peter Barth (flute, alto sax, vocals), Jörg Hahnfeld (bass), Thomas Holm (drums)

My Favourite Records: First period of this rare Kraut-rock group from Berlin was named Hanuman and between the members played Wolf-Rüdiger Uhlig, keyboard player from next famous Kraut-rock group from Berlin, Murphy Blend. In 1972, when Uhlig was replaced with guitar player & singer Ralf Schultze, they renamed their name to Lied Des Teufels (Song For Devil), what was a name of one short track from Hanuman LP. Music of both groups is very good, with a nice flute & sax solos and with long instrumental places. In Hanuman they used most of Uhlig's keyboards, but Lied Des Teufel was guitar orientated. They sang in german language. Good stuff.

Finders Keepers Records continue their odyssey (or should that be 'odd'ysey?) for releasing strange and wonderful music with this compilation of Bruno Spoerri's magnificent mad (and sometimes downright funky!) electronic music from the 70s.Glückskugel is the first ever collection of musical works of BRUNO SPOERRI, the mythical character who worked with members of legendary Krautrockers CAN, composed music for engineering companies and made motivational music for industrial sites and factories utilising concrete techniques, primitive sampling techniques and contemporary experimental psych-rock and funk musicians. Bruno also composed embryonic pre-Nintendo sprite-themes for the Germanic equivalents of It's A Knock Out and various Takeshi's Castle style fantasy sporting events - as well as educational robot sex films and art school cinematic anomalies. Packed with rare and previously unseen photographs and detailed liners by Bruno, and following the success of Jazzman Records long deleted and HIGHLY collectable 7" reissue a few years ago, this unique collection of Bruno's vast, and largely unheard until today, body of work is sure to go on to similar critical and commercial success! - Freak Emporium

Here's something rather special from Andy Votel's killer re-issues label Finders Keepers, this time it's a collection of vintage synth bleepage in the vein of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop or Raymond Scott, and comes from German sound designer Bruno Spoerri. He was a regular collaborator with German Krautrock superheroes Can and designed many themes for German television shows such as 'It's a Knockout' and music for educational films, promotional films and motivational videos so the man knows his way around a modular or two. This is classic stuff anyway, occasionally sounding like Italian synth-prog pioneers Goblin or horror soundtrack don Fabio Frizzi with Spoerri's Krautrock roots shining through vibrantly. However, many of the tracks on this compilation owe as much to musique concrete as to prog rock, and his oddball sampling technique (if he was doing a promo piece for an industrial company he would sample their machines) is quite endearing. Easily one of the best compilations of it's kind for some time, this is a truly endearing collection. - boomkat.com

A Swiss jazz musician, principally a saxophonist, with an apprenticeship on the Swiss jazz scene in the 1950's and 1960's, as a widely sought after session musician and leader of his own jazz-fusion groups. He has also collaborated with Joel Vandroogenbroeck, and is a member of the bands Container and Movin' On, and is also widely respected for his adventurousness and penchant for experimentation.He has worked in all sorts of musics, and ventured on to becoming one of foremost pioneers in synth musics. Bruno's change of focus came about when he first dabbled with a synthesizer. Unsure of how this new trend of blips and twitters mixed in with rock and jazz would be received, he released the first such record under the guise of Marcel Ferrat. It was a cult success, and thus a number of other chic quirky EP's, somewhat in the manner of Pierre Henry's "Mass For The Present Time" or the eclectic Maledictus Sound. Bruno's mid-1970's output is obscure, and includes the fun looking SWITCHED ON SWITZERLAND for synthesizer and accordion, and a collaborative project with Hardy Hepp, amongst other oddities. The next releases we have encountered date from 1978, albums of diverse electronic invention with jazzy bits thrown in. Shortly after these, Bruno came to international attention, via his work with Can's Irmin Schmidt on his FILMMUSIK projects, and notably the Toy Planet project. His output since has been sporadic and diverse, with the oddly titled AX+BY+CZ+D=0 made together with sound sculpture artist Betha Sarasin being one of his finest. - "The Crack In The Cosmic Egg", Encyclopedia of Krautrock

Bruno Spoerri, composer, sound engineer and saxaphone player, has composed film music for feature films, many short films, documentaries and over 500 commercials.His projects have included numerous works for improvising musicians with interactive electronic devices, especially for the "Very Nervous System" (David Rokeby) and interactive Computer Music Installations for exhibitions. He has been seen on tour in Europe with Joel Chadabe, and with Joel Vandroogenbroeck. He has performed in the USA at the Composer's Forum New York, Princeton University, Colgate University, and Rensselaer. He's been featured at Canada's McGill University in Montreal and traveled to India and Africa with solo program "CAJ (Computer-asssisted jazz)" and in a Duo with percussionist Reto Weber. He co-founded the "Swiss Society for Computer Music" in 1982 and served as the co-director of the "Swiss Center for Computer Music" from 1985 until 2000. He currently plays saxophone with "Four for Mulligan". He also plays saxophone, synthophone and other electronic instruments in Solo Performances and with "Cyberjam-X - CDeMUSIC

Life was hectic during the seventies - every week I had to produce at least one TV-jingle, and then there were numerous other assignments for documentary films, radio plays, PR-campaigns. And then I had a family (that I neglected badly with all this workload). No wonder, that I lost track of all the music that I produced - often within a few hours - during that time.Most of these tapes were hidden away behind other material, and I discovered them, when I decided to get rid of all this old rubbish. And then I began to play the tapes, and began to remember these early times of analog synthesizers, of tape loops etc etc.After all, they were not so bad, and at least two items had already been discovered by some fans - the original discs of 'Electroniciens' and 'Konzert für Mressluftwerkzeuge' seem to be collector's items.So, with the help of DJ Dino Lötscher I got into contact with Andy Votel, who encouraged me to look for some more material. I am still listening and perhaps I even will find some more interesting things. - Bruno Spoerri

Ax Genrich's first release after quitting Guru Guru has none of his signature acid guitar freakouts that made him famous on the first Guru Guru albums! Over all, this sounds a lot like a series of jams, played with friends dropping by to play, of course it helps that his friends are members of Guru Guru, Cluster and Kraan! The whole thing is very relaxed. It reminds a lot of Mani Neumier's album "Mani und Seine Freunde" which came out the same year and had a lot of the same musicians. Since it's a collection of improvisations, there's no real focus and the songs amble from one style to another. The best track is 'Kosmische Phyrze', a gentle rock-guitar based instrumental. This album may not be on anyone's 'Top Ten' list or anything but it's still a worthwhile release, as these guys are all world-class players and the musicianship is top-notch.

Mini gatefold sleeve version (as per the original release) of the band's second album from 1972 and an LSD drenched, guitar, drums, voice (John L.'s vocals become echoed screams and yelps not far off from Damo Suzuki's approach in Can) and synth, space adventure into the netherworlds of '70s Kraut Rock heaven. One of the classics and even better on CD. - Freak Emporium

A bit different from their debut because of the presence of vocals. Also Klaus Schulze left, in pursuit of his famous solo career. New drummer Wolfgang Muller is in, along with, of course, guitarist Manuel Gottsching and bassist Hartmut Enke. And for a vocalist, they chose a guy by the name of John L., previously of AGITATION FREE (who got booted out of that band for being too deranged, apparently ASH RA TEMPEL felt the same was as he was given the boot after this album). Talk about an acquired taste, John L.'s voice tends to be harsh and he always sounded out of tune (he reminded me of CAN's "Malcolm Mooney", so you get sort of an idea what you'll be facing here). The album starts off with the rather bluesy "Look at Your Sun", complete with John L.'s off-key singing. The next song, "Flowers Must Die" is basically John L. simply screaming under an intense rhythm of guitar and drums, plus the presence of sax gives it a bit of a jazzy feel. Definately party-clearing music, to say the least. The second half of the album consists of "Suche" and "Liebe". "Suche" is a rather sinister spacy piece consisting of mostly vibraphone and organ. "Liebe" is more guitar and voice (this time by Gottsching), and sounds like a cross between PINK FLOYD and ASH RA TEMPEL's debut. Amazing album, if you can get used to the vocals - Ben Miler, ProgArchives.com

Schwingungen is a must hear album if only for its anarchistic, uncompromising musical statements. The vocals may put off some listeners, but I think the mood on the album is defined a great deal by them. They are very gruff and sung with an almost hysterical intensity. The guitar playing of Manuel Gottsching is great throughout the album varying from heavy, free acid rock style to dreamy parts where the guitar is sometimes so mutated and processed that it almost sounds like a synth or electronic equipment. Still fantastic, but a notch below their first. - Sjef Oellers, Gnosis Ratings

“Schwingungen” is ASH RA’s powerful follow up to their debut album which still remains to this day one of the true space classic for this music lover. 2 big differences here on “Schwingungen” with the departure of Klaus Schulze as well as the introduction of vocals marks this album in different light than their debut album. Having said that, this album is nothing short of amazing with some pretty spaced out interludes and long epic tracks to totally blow your mind. The overall sound on “Schwingungen” is very Meddle era “PINK FLOYD” with some great hypnotic work and analog space rock movements. With heavy doses of space hymns and the inspiring guitar work of Manuel Gottsching, this album will clearly take your mind and ears into the outer zone. The album is essentially made up of 3 long tracks with the first two tracks featuring the psychedelically-eerie-like vocals of John L. The full line up was Manuel Gottsching (guitar), Hartmut Enke (bass), Wolfgang Mueller (drums), & guest: John L (vocals, jew harp, percusssion), Matthias Wehler (alto sax) and Uli Popp (bongos). I love the frenzied guitar rantings and the mix of the west coast like rhythm sections taking a somewhat R&B foundation. Overall a great album. - James Unger

The follow up to Ash Ra Tempel's classic debut sees the departure of Klaus Schulze as well as the introduction of vocals, marking a slight change in the direction of the band. Nonetheless, their style is still tremendously intense and spaced-out, as always focused around the frenetic guitar work of Manuel Gottsching. The vocal style is extremely unique, almost like schizophrenic ranting, and does little to streamline the group's sound at all. The first two tracks are highlighted by this new vocal style, "Light: Look at Your Sun" is creepy, if somewhat sedate, but still introduces the atmosphere effectively. The real masterpiece on this album however, is the impossibly intense "Darkness: Flowers Must Die". Raging percussion and biting saxophone lines complement Gottsching's severe guitar assault. On top of it all are the madman vocals, screaming and ranting through a variety of voice effects and guiding the track through its numerous explosive climaxes. Words fail in attempting to describe the emotional urgency and sheer power of this track, often recalling the finer moments of the first album through its instrumental holocaust, but taking things to another plateau with its own uniquely chaotic approach. "Suche & Liebe" is an exercise in Tangerine Dream-ish ambiance, with heavy guitar effects and droning electronics. Successful to a point, but lacks the fiery guitar style that I listen to this band for. More dynamics such as on the debut's "Traummaschine" would have been enjoyed. Still, Schwingungen is another excellent album from Ash Ra Tempel, a step down from the first, but certainly no slouch in its own right. - Greg Northrup, ProgWeed.net

One of the most formidable of the German Krautrock groups, ASH RA TEMPEL were a powerful force led by guitarist Manuel GOTTSCHING, and also included former TANGERINE DREAM drummer Klaus SCHULZE at various points. Their music is very spacy and psychedelic, in the manner popularized by early HAWKWIND and AMON DUUL II. The early albums all had basically one track a side, one more powerful and dramatic, the other of a more atmospheric nature. Their albums are all classics; those with Klaus SCHULZE ("Ash Ra Tempel" and "Join Inn") are the best. ASH RA TEMPEL's first release is a classic of the space/cosmic genre. This is definitively the one to start with if you're not familiar with this band. "Schwingungen" is a vastly underrated album even by ardent fans of the band. Basically, "Join Inn", along with the two albums, are supposed to be the essential woks from ASH RA TEMPEL, and I certainly haven't been disappointed by any of the three. GOTTSCHING's later work varied between solo albums and those within a group format.Later, after recording the dreamy soundtrack "Le Berceau de Cristal" (1975 unreleased until the 90's) ASH RA TEMPEL changed name to ASHRA, making a more melodic synthesizer based music. In the year 2000 the ASH RA TEMPEL moniker was reborn. Joined by long-time colleague Klaus SCHULZE, the appropriately titled "Friendship" was released. This is the best release by Manuel since "Blackouts" and shows that he hasn't lost his touch. ASH RA TEMPEL is probably the best known band of the German space scene. A SPACE JOURNEY FROM START TO FINISH...! - ProgArchives.com

On the late-60's Berlin underground scene, there was a growing trend for radical innovative bands. One band was the embryonic Ash Ra Tempel, then known as Steeple Chase Bluesband (formed June 1969), who played a freak-out blues rock with John Mayall influences. The original line-up was: Manuel Gottsching (guitar), Hartmut Enke (bass) and Wulf Arp (drums), with Volker Zibell (harmonica) joining in August 1969. Arp was momentarily replaced by Wolfgang Muller, at which time they gained wide exposure with an appearance in concert on TV. A document of Steeple Chase Bluesband can be found on THE PRIVATE TAPES, which is just the sort of stoned blues-rock underground we expected.Having left Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze met up with Manuel and Hartmut and hatched the idea of Ash Ra Tempel. At this time all three were also involved in Konrad Schnitzler's Eruption project. In August 1970 they started rehearsals and also played concerts, becoming notorious for improvisations that could exceed 30 minutes yet be most fascinating and invigorating. Documents from various concerts can be found on THE PRIVATE TAPES, revealing the innovation of the band, in which Klaus was much more than just a drummer (playing steel guitar, organ, electronics, etc.), but as a drummer he was something else!After a couple of aborted demo's Ash Ra Tempel decided to go to Hamburg and record an album proper, with the aid of Conny Plank. This resulted in their debut, which was housed in a mystical elaborate centre-opening gatefold cover. As with their live jams, Ash Ra Tempel on record was a unique twist on the space-rock music as pioneered by Pink Floyd and Hawkwind, with elements of both yet devoid of songs, free-rock in the truest sense. Just one track per side: firstly with the power-drive storming "Amboss" (close to Klaus' work in Tangerine Dream) and in contrast, the shimmering timeless "Traummaschine". A yin-and-yang type concept that made for an extraordinary album. But, not too long after this, with a yearning for greater things in life than just playing drums, Klaus left Ash Ra Tempel, saying to Manuel "You keep the name, I'm going to do other things" and went on to pursue a most fruitful solo career as one of the pioneers of synth music.After this, the former Steeple Chase Bluesband drummer Wolfgang Muller returned. The next album SCHWINGUNGEN ("Vibrations" in English) returned to their bluesy origins, and again (like their debut LP) it had contrasting sides. "Light And Darkness" exists as the closest any German band have got to early Hawkwind, a wild acid-rock cum cosmic-blues music fronted by eccentric vocalist John L. spouting rather than singing his LSD induced visions. It's intense, powerful, and for some - too dark and unnerving. In stark contrast, "Suche & Liebe" owed a huge debt to Pink Floyd's "A Saucerful Of Secrets", complete with shimmering vibes, a hazy electronic mist, and an overdose of Dave Gilmour style glissando guitars, stretching out to cosmic bliss. - "The Crack In The Cosmic Egg"

The story of the embryonic Ash Ra Tempel started in Berlin 1967 when school friends Manuel Gottsching and Hartmut Enke decided to form a blues band together. Gottsching had lessons in classical guitar for five years, while Enke just was starting to play bass. Other youngsters drifted in and out of the band, which was playing versions of then current pop hits for school parties, etc. Already as a 15 year old boy, Gottsching was beginning to experiment with fuzz, wah-wah and echo effects, in the wake of psychedelia. In an interview I did with him in December 1989, Gottsching admitted that Pink Floyd's innovative experimentation was a huge influence at that time. With Volker Zibell (harmonica) and Wolfgang Muller (drums), Enke & Gottsching appeared live on German TV early in 1970 as Steeple Chase Blues Band. This formation was, however, short-lived. Zibell now lives in Norway and has recorded with several Norwegian new wave bands. Enke & Gottsching studied experimental composition at avant-garde composer Thomas Kessler's studio in Berlin. There they met another eager student named Klaus Schulze, who then played drums as well as experimenting with strange tape loops and effects. He had just quit Tangerine Dream, and they soon found out that they shared musical ideas. Together they formed the first Ash Ra Tempel line-up in August 1970, and soon begun to play live. Their self-titled first work was recorded early March 1971 (with the late Konrad Plank engineering). It was released on Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser's legendary Ohr label in a most beautiful gimmick cover. The front side of it could be opened up in the middle (like the Dr. Z album released on Vertigo the same year), symbolising a double temple door. This was designed by a friend of the group that later also did the cover for Schwingungen. The first album included just two extended tracks, sounding close to their raw and sometimes really WILD live shows at the time. "Amboss" is a kind of teutonic "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" without the keyboards. It starts off calm and soft, but gradually increases to a furious, fuzzy acid guitar nightmare. "Traummaschine" is, in sharp contrast, a floating, dreamy track, just as the title implies. This diversion between the first and second album sides became a trade mark for several later albums. It was a highly impressive start. Their strength was their ability to make the most unearthly sounds in the usually very limited guitar, bass and drums trio format. In September 1971 Klaus Schulze decided to leave. His artistic ambitions far exceeded the task of being just a drummer in the band. Six months later, Irrlicht would start off his impressive solo career. Wolfgang Muller from the Steeple Chase Blues band took his place. Ash Ra Tempel's second album Schwingungen was released in the Summer of 1972. This is a more structured work, but still very much based on long, instrumental improvisations. Side one included vocals by John L., a previous member of Agitation Free. He was fired from this group in 1968 because of general freak-out and the quite significant fact that he couldn't sing!The instrumental side was filled by the title track, divided into subtitles "Suche" and "Liebe". The first part is dominated by soft vibes and electronics, while the conclusion is very much like Pink Floyd in their Saucerful phase, with celestial choral voices and slow chord progressions... - "Cosmic Dreams At Play"

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Yet another fundamental guitar oriented Krautrock album from Manuel Göttsching, and one that continues in the same basic style as the first two albums. Overall, Join Inn sounds a lot more mature and developed, yet on the other hand, a tad more restrained. The album sees the reinstitution of Klaus Schulze on drums and is structured almost in the same manner as the debut, with one side devoted to a guitar oriented jam, and the second to a more ambient, yet still quite dynamic, extended track. "Freak N' Roll" features a heavy percussive attack and slithering basslines beneath Göttsching's more delicate touch. The song even shows off a slight jazzy sensibility, and overall doesn't have the same deep space vibe as the previous two albums. Instead, its a lot more down to earth, much more mature, and playing is extremely tasteful and pleasant. The intermittent climaxes still rock hard, but don't approach the shuddering heights of the self-titled debut. "Jenseits" is another stab at an ambient, ethereal piece in the vein of "Suche & Liebe" from Schiwingungen, and is in my opinion a lot more emotional and dynamic. The vocals of Rosi Mueller are quite beautiful, and are perfect atop the developing bed of synthesizer and electronic drones and flourishes. Basically, Join Inn, along with the first two albums, are supposed to be the essential works from Ash Ra Tempel, and I certainly haven't been disappointed by any of the three. This would be the final album of the classic lineup, as the group would be reduced to basically Manuel Göttsching and his girlfriend, Rosi, as well as a revolving door of guest musicians. - Greg Northrup [May 2001]

Great album! Both songs start off quietly and build to a nice pinnacle. Very long and very smooth progression of sounds. M Gottsching is brilliant but so is everyone else in the band. This album is another krautrock classic and should be owned by any krautfan... - Review by lilhagglet, ProgArchives.com

A perfect starting point for anybody wishing to taste the cosmic thrills of krautrock, Ash Ra Tempel's explosive debut album ranks as one of my favorite Tempel recordings. The band was still very fresh, having only joined forces in August 1970. Their self-titled debut album featured two extended tracks of a cosmic nature. 'Amboss' begins very softly with harmonic guitar chords before it begins to build into the mother of all cosmic space rock jams. Fueled by Gottsching's heavy and effects-laden acid guitar work, the track features nonstop guitar soloing and wreckless percussion pounding courtesy of Klaus Schulze. Clocking in at over twenty-five minutes, 'Traummaschine' (Dream Machine), seems to be at odds with the furious nature of 'Amboss'. 'Traummaschine' is a dreamy track which floats forth from the speakers so cosmically that it seems as if God himself was channeling energy into the band's recording studio. The track picks up steam near the twenty-minute mark before ultimately closing out in subdued cosmic fashion. An incredible debut, 'Ash Ra Tempel' set the standard and formula for the groups next three albums. - Krautrock Album Database - Ash Ra Tempel

Formed by ex-Tangerine Dream member Klaus Schulze, Manuel Göttsching and Hartmut Enke, Ash Ra Tempel was one of the pioneers of the progressive space-rock genre. Their debut-album seems to bee many people's favourite by the band, and I don`t blame them, as you won't get a more perfect space-atmosphere than the one you'll find here. The two tracks on the album is both VERY spacey pieces, but still very different from each other. "Amboss" opens quiet and relaxed, but soon bursts into a frenetic jam, highlighted with G?ttsching`s excellent spacy guitar playing and Schulze's energetic drumming. It`s quite facinating how such an energetic and noisy piece still can be so atmospheric and relaxing. "Traummaschine" lives up to its title, and gives a clue about what Schulze later would do on his own albums. A very quiet and mysterious piece, with floating electronics and shimmering guitar. The whole album gives you a feeling of flying through space in a pyramid and visiting planets with ancient temples. Yes, this really is SPACE music. However, if you're looking for something more controlled and electronic kind of spacey atmospheres, start with one of the first Ashra albums from the late 70's instead. - VintageProg.com

Ash Ra Tempel, as well as Can, Faust, Neu, Amon Düül II, Tangerine Dream, and Kraftwerk, were regarded as the greats in the Krautrock scene. In 1970, Tangerine Dream released their debut album, Electronic Meditation. It was very untypical of their releases as it was a very guitar heavy psychedelic album with an underground feel. One of the members of that band was Klaus Schulze, who was a drummer at that time (he usually handled keyboards, but not in the early days). He left that band not too long after. A young guitarist named Manuel G?ttsching was starting a new band called Ash Ra Tempel, and the two members he got in were bassist Hartmut Enke and Klaus Schulze. They got to work in 1971 and recorded and released their self-entitled debut on Ohr Records (same label Tangerine Dream was recording for). The album simply consists of two side-length cuts. The first cut, "Amboss" is a rather agressive, mindblowing guitar-oriented piece. It's some wild stuff, and unsurprisingly, it reminds me of TD's Electronic Meditation. The second and final cut is "Traummaschine", German for "Dream Machine". As you may guess, this cut is totally opposite from "Amboss", as it's a mindblowing, but mellow piece that's mostly ambient. It has that creepy atmosphere that makes me think of Tangerine Dream's Zeit. Some guitar does creep in but largely, it stays ambient. It's strange how an album with two cuts can blow me away for completely opposite reasons (one being wild and intense, the other being mellow). Unfortunately the band had trouble keeping members with G?ttsching the only constant member. Klaus Schulze left to make a name for himself as one of the biggest names of electronic music (along with Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre, Tomita, Vangelis, Kitaro, Wendy Carlos, etc.). Other members that came in and out of Ash Ra Tempel included Rosi M?ller, Steve Schroyder (ex-Tangerine Dream), and even Timothy Leary (who was apparently in exile in neighboring Switzerland around that time), of all people. The original LP of Ash Ra Tempel's debut came with a gimmick cover, not unlike Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Brain Salad Surgery. The original is not particularly easy to find, but it's been reissued plenty of times (but with a normal cover), including CD so you should be able to get yourself a copy somewhere. I find Ash Ra Tempel's debut an incredible masterpiece of space rock, and if you like this type of stuff, you owe it to yourself to get this album, you won't regret it! - Ash Ra Tempel: Ash Ra Tempel (1971) Music Reviews - Germany - Hippyland

Simply one of the all-time great Krautrock albums, this is the original ASH RA TEMPEL lineup with Manuel Gottsching, Hartmut Enke, and Klaus Schulze (who just left TANGERINE DREAM following the release of "Electronic Meditation"). Still at this point, Schulze was handling the drums, rather than keyboards that he's most famous for. There are only two side-length cuts. "Amboss" is totally mindblowing guitar-oriented jam that's not unlike the most intense moments of "Electronic Meditation", I guess that shouldn't be any surprise as both were recording on Ohr, and Schulze was involved in both. "Traummaschine" (German for "Dream Machine") is a much more relaxed, spooky sounding piece, mostly relying on ambience, with the guitar only rearing its head occasionally. Another mindblowing piece for the total opposite reason as "Amboss". This is truly one of the first ASH RA TEMPEL albums you should try, especially because there are no vocals (except for some wordless vocals on "Traummachine" which are rather pleasant). The original LP on Ohr comes with a fold-out cover, sorta similar to ELP's "Brain Salad Surgery" (but without the diecut), or that obscure late '60s Portland, Oregon act called Touch (the band that recorded for the Coliseum label, that is, as opposed to too many other bands with that name). Spalax in France also reissued this on LP, but unfortunately lacks the gimmick fold-out and instead includes a little booklet (the same kind of booklet used on the Spalax CD reissue as well). A true must have for all space rock and Krautrock junkies out there! - Review by Proghead, ProgArchives.com

Never has the term "monster" been used to more adequately describe an album than in the case of Ash Ra Tempel's classic debut. Without a doubt one of the absolute pinnacles of the Krautrock movement, this album is a thundering masterpiece of unrestrained experimentalism and absolutely searing atmospheres. Ash Ra Tempel is a completely instrumental work, and makes use of furious percussion, droning keyboards and guitars, and masterful use of repetitive tension as well as dense, mysterious atmospheres before releasing into explosive solo guitar licks courtesy of Gottsching. The album is made up of two tracks, the furious "Amboss" (perhaps one of the finest guitar freak-outs ever put to record), and the more varied "Traummaschine", meaning "Dream Machine" in German, which incidentally gives a pretty good idea of how it sounds. "Amboss" opens with some droning keyboard riffs before gradually building up behind Schulze's unrelenting percussive attack, and then exploding into a cataclysmic orgy of blazing guitar, crashing cymbals and rumbling bass. The song builds and releases in this fashion constantly throughout its 19 minutes, yet without a second wasted. "Traummacshine" takes its time building up, beginning with cosmic synthesizer drones, after which a repetitive guitar line drifts in. Before you know it, ten minutes have passed, and soft percussive pulses have entered the mix. By then, the build up has become tangible, gradually becoming faster and more intense, above which huge droning echoes rumble through the speakers like howling solar winds. The song builds and releases constantly, with the entire bottom falling out occasionally, leaving only wandering guitar notes or a lone bassline amidst the swirling ambiance. Overall, this album propels the listener into the furthest reaches of desolate space like few others. A clear cut masterpiece. - Greg Northrup, Progweed.net

If you love the old "Space Tripp'in" thing then ASH RA TEMPEL is just the thing the Doctor ordered. ASH RA TEMPEL?s 1st album is a classic in the genre of Space Rock led by guitarist Manuel Gottsching and a very young Klaus Schulze (percussion and electronics). Their 1st album really has a split personality and offers 2 very different landscapes for the listener from the chaos of the first 20 Mins epic "Amboss" (Anvil) to the tranquil "Traummaschine" (Dream Machine) which both seem to be born from the same cosmic voyage. Amboss is a heavy cosmic acid space journey which seems to draw the listener effortlessly into the wake of the TEMPEL. Along the way you are surrounded by Gottsching?s crazy guitar playing and Schulze?s frantic drumming and electronic smogasbourg. Track 2 (25 mins) is much less frantic and seems to by opposition draw the listener back inside the TEMPLE but this time into a very different region. "Traummaschine" relies much heavier here on the electronic meditation and instead builds into a very deep and slow space climax which seems very soothing and will send you off into another dimension. Overall this is a superior reproduction and sound is very well preserved considering the age offering nice speaker separation throughout. This is a great recording to sit back and put on the old headphones. Highly Recommended . - Review by James Unger, ProgArchives.com

Today in internet chat rooms, the neo-Krautrock music fan know-it-all hipster can recite all the details of Can, Faust, Kraftwerk and Neu!. However, the band that really had more to do with the creation of the movement goes on somewhat, but not completely, unnoticed. Ash Ra Tempel were perhaps even more pioneering in the search of experimental music forms from the heyday of the Berlin scene. They seamlessly combined electronics, psychedelia, and rock to the most extreme and radical while somehow interjecting a serene state throughout. So it is quite possible the most authentic genius is someone who has no idea that he is one. Somebody who shys away from the spotlight and wonders aloud, "What is the big deal? I play guitar, I play keyboards, I play music and I enjoy it." Yet this person is so genuine that his style is instantly recognizable, the most pure a sound can be. This is true of so many great artists that are well-known, but is also true of those fine craftsman that are unknown. Manuel G?ttsching is a textbook example of the latter. Every interview he gives shows a gracious man who tires of talking of his past, who is forward looking and wants to show what he still has to offer. But the whole picture displays the life of this great painter. Germany. 1971. Underground. Those three terms evoke images of the Berlin Wall, intensity, angst, freedom. There was an exciting music culture happening throughout all of Germany at this time with bands like Tangerine Dream, Amon Duul, Guru Guru, and Embryo. All of them were turning their backs on the more well known commercialized style of their American and British counterparts to create something new - something uniquely German. And no band helped define this milieu in recorded music more than Ash Ra Tempel. So perhaps in reality it was three friends: Manuel, Hartmut Enke, and Klaus Schulze (fresh from a similar angst ridden album, Electronic Meditation, with Tangerine Dream) who joined their hearts and souls to play music that interested them. What has to be realized is the environs of the day, the mindset, the intensity, the politics, the change of the Western world as we know it. Very rarely is a moment so well captured just through music. Yet this is just what happened on Ash Ra Tempel's self-titled debut. From the start, one had to know this was going to be a special affair: A day glow orange cover of the Egyptian sun god Ra which featured a gimmick cover that folded open from the center. The opening piece "Amboss" (Anvil), is one for the ages. Starting with dark sounds that seem like shadows, created only with primitive electronics and guitar, the piece seems on the verge of falling into a black abyss to never return. Slowly the tension builds to a deafening crescendo, and without warning, Klaus Schulze begins his definitive piledriver drumming pattern. What could be possibly more intense and more chaotic? The listener is pounded into submission. Only to be equally mutilated by G?ttsching's furious jamming, certainly the most intense, psychedelic, heavy guitar ever recorded. After a few minutes of this sort of violent cosmic blues jamming, there is a sequence of free-jazz drumming and electric guitar polka-dots that just burst into another firestorm, and along comes Schulze even more furious than before with G?ttsching and Enke trying to subdue the entire German nation with their blistering guitar work. The Berlin Wall must fall! It doesn't - but certainly the musicians must have. One gets exhausted just listening to it! This 19 minute opus is followed by the exquisite 25 minute "Traummaschine" (Dream Machine). Again, the mood is somber but slowly the sound gets louder. The band manages to achieve an electronic cadence while the guitars and electronics swirl. Hand percussion enters in and G?ttsching turns up the fuzz for another biting solo. There is a period of rest and again the rollercoaster begins for yet one more jam. To this day, there has never been an album of music that sustained this kind of intensity for 40 minutes. How they were able to so without a moment of wasted time is a testament to the brilliance of one of the greatest albums of all time... - Tom Hayes, Gnosis Ratings